The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-15

Published 6y Special -4TTdRge71eIlt.
CHAPTER IX.-CoSTISUED.
Tad knew nothing about playing a
trout, and if he had it would have made
10 difference, owing to his primitive
fishing tackle. He pulled vigorously;
so dd the trout. and .'snapr' went the
end Of the alder pole, leaving Tad in a
mad frenzy Of excitement, with three
fourths of the rod in his hands, dane
ing madly on the rocks
Joe was equal to the situation.
Dropping his own pole, he made a dive
for the broken fragment, which was
floating in sight. Gathering the slack
line carefully in his hands, vigorous
tug landed high and dry the largest
trout ever caught in Mil brook.
There" Joe exclaimed, as Tad re-
@ardcd his prize in an amazement too
deep for words. you've caught the one
real trout you've wanted tO-now, l
guess we'd better be getting home,
without doing any more fishing"
"AIl right" returned Tad, mourn
fully. "but you caught him, after all,
Joe" But Joe stoutly asserted that
Tad hooked him first, while hc-Joe-
only helped TO bring the big fish safe to
land. And, in the discussion of the eX-
citing episode, the walk home was ac-
coinplished in surprisingly short time.
Tad's big trout was baked for sup
per, and ii was generally agreed by the
iour who partOok thereof that the flavor
was particularly fine. Tad himself Sc
crctly thought he had never eaten any
thing so delicious in his whole life.
But it is not unlikely that the knowl-
edge that he himself had furnished this
important adjunct to the evening meal
gavo it an additional relish for Tad.
By this time Tad had begun to feel
very much at ease with these quiet,
home-like people. As they gathered
about the open Fireplace, with its
smoldering backlog, after the tea
things were cleared away, and the big
kcrosene-lamp was lighted, he opened
his heart to their kindly questioning
and spoke freely of his past life. There
was really little or nothing to keep
back, for, as have said, thanks to the
memory of his mothers teachings and
a natural uprightness of character, Tad
had escaped the evil ways which q
homeless, friendless boy is so apt to fall
into, and, though he had faults in
abundance. he was, on the whole, a
more upright young fellow than many
whose surroundings and advantages
had been far more favorable than
Tad's.
$50 you're to begin ships duties to
Miss Smith o Monday-eh, Tad?" re-
marked the Captain, thoughtfully, to
break little silence which had fallen
upon the group.
"Yes, sir" was the reply, "and 1
do hope she'll like me-"
She'll be hard to suit if she don't"
returned Mrs. Flagg, clicking her nee
dies emphatically together as they
flashed in and out of the meshes of a
blue yarn sock that she was knitting
for the Captain. For the good lady,
whose heart was large enough to take
in at least half a dozen motherless boys
and girls, had begun to regard Tad
with considerable favor.
Il know she'll like you," said Polly,
confidently, as she looked up from the
fascinating pages of Little Women"
which she was reading for the first time,
while Bounce slumbered peacefully in
her lap.
"You just 90 on and do your duty
unto Miss Smith accordin' as you'd
have it done to you, Tad" remarked
the Captain, oracularly, "and you
needn't have no fears. Miss Smith,"
continued Captain Flagg, with appraised
finger to command attention, lis fe-
male that's had tempestuous wye
in life, as it were, a-losing of every re-
latiOn she had, which has gone to make
hera bitcranky; but she's good-hearted
and God-fearin', and once you get into
her good books, you're always there"
''They say she's got han'sum prop
erty that her folks left her-some-
where's nigh ten thousan' dollars" Mrs.
Flagg observed, in a voice indicative of
considerable respect for the possessor
of such wealth. For in Bixport the
person with an mencumbered estate
and thousand dollars was "well-to-
don; he who had five thousand was well
off; while the owner of ten thousand
dollars was regarded in the light of a
millionaire.